ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. — National Poison Prevention Week, March 18-24, is a time nationally to recognize the dangers of poisoning and how to prevent it. Poison prevention, however, should be practiced all year to ensure the safety of your loved ones, especially your children.

While all parents want to keep their children healthy and safe, the truth is that the home can be a very dangerous place if parents do not take the right actions to prevent childhood poisoning.

Every day, 374 children in the U.S. are treated in an emergency department, and two children die from poisoning. For every 10 poison exposures in children, about nine occur in the home.

Poisons can be found in almost every room of every house and curious children will often investigate anything that is within their reach. Little hands can lead to big trouble. However, with the right knowledge and information, parents have the ability to play a lifesaving role in protecting their children from household poisonings.

The first step is to realize what items in your home can be poisonous. Everyday items in your home, such as household cleaners, medications and cosmetics, can cause severe illness and even death, if ingested.

The following are examples of common household items that can be poisonous: